4 Ways Drone Photography Will Make Your Marketing Irresistible

Humans have felt compelled to take photographs from great heights practically since photography was invented. In those early days, anything that could get a reasonable distance from the ground and support a camera was fair game. The first aerial photography used hot air balloons, kites, pigeons, and eventually airplanes to capture images from far above the Earth. In the 19th and 20th centuries, this type of aerial photography was used mostly by the military for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering, all the way back to the American Civil War.

As drones have become more commercially available in the last 25 years, aerial photography has evolved, becoming an important part of digital marketing strategies in many different industries. In fact, the aerial imaging market is projected to nearly double in size within the next five years, from $4.442 billion in 2025 to $8.019 billion by 2030!

So, suppose you think drone photography is just for showing off real estate, promoting large-scale events, or marketing luxury tourist destinations. In that case, you’re missing out on the benefits you could be reaping for your own business. As evidenced by that huge projected increase in the aerial imaging market, drone photography is a great way to show off construction projects, manufacturing operations, and even highlight the work of smaller local businesses. Regardless of your business, drone photography can support your marketing efforts!

Here are four reasons drone photography is right for your business!

1. See your product from a new perspective

Although digital devices are continuously becoming thinner and more powerful, they’re not quite ready to completely replace paper. For now, that means still photography will remain a strong asset for marketing, especially for printed materials and websites. At the same time, photography still has limitations. Typically, you need multiple photographs to fully showcase a product, especially those that are of a considerable size. In comparison, the power of moving images can’t be denied. A drone photography video can provide a full 360* view of massive projects and products in just one shot.

When you have just a few seconds to capture the attention of a website visitor or social media follower, using the fact that humans are hardwired to react to movement can be the difference between gaining and losing a customer. Even a short video will draw potential customers in and communicate the product experience more effectively. Studies have shown that watching a video about a product inspires 64% of customers to make a purchase. Although still images can be powerful and written content is essential, the performance of video will always be better. This is likely because, for most people, visual content is retained much longer than written content. When you add the unique perspective of drone photography to your video presentations, you have a combination that will undeniably improve your brand storytelling.

2. Make brand storytelling easier

In addition to the natural human affinity for visual content, storytelling is just as impactful. It’s why viewers consumed an incredible 94 billion hours of Netflix content in the second half of 2024 alone! Given this knowledge, what ultimately sets you apart from your competitors when it comes to generating leads? For every kind of business, even manufacturing, it’s the interest you capture with your story.

Telling your audience why you do what you do, while maintaining the consistency and authenticity you need to connect, is foundational to a successful digital marketing strategy. Unfortunately, regardless of your industry, storytelling can be a challenge. But what’s the old saying? “Show, don’t tell!” That’s where aerial photography can step in to bolster your brand story.

Drone photography is ideal for providing access to a behind-the-scenes look at your facilities, humanizing your business by introducing your team, and giving potential customers a sense of the scope of your operations. With planning, you may even be able to put together some fun uses for drone photography that show your company’s personality and highlight the positive atmosphere within your business. Creating visual storytelling to show your equipment and property is particularly effective for trade shows, investor presentations, explainer videos, and digital marketing campaigns.

3. Improve the performance of your content

Your website or social media channels are more often than not the first point of contact your business has with potential customers. On both these platforms, visual content can have a significant impact on catching the eye of a viewer to encourage them to remain on your page or to stop scrolling. Additionally, Google and social media results prioritize visual content, which means adding video can push your website up in organic search results and ensure your posts are seen in followers’ feeds. This is especially true for potential clients who are using mobile devices!

Digging a little further into improving your SEO, aerial images and videos can be tagged with not only your target keywords, but also a geotag for your specific location. Promoting the location of your business is how you can take advantage of local SEO, a concept that is becoming increasingly valuable for any business wanting to find new customers. Approximately 30% of Google searches for businesses specify location, so you don’t want to miss out on this powerful opportunity.

On your business website, an aerial image is an excellent choice for the hero image on the homepage. The first thing visitors see there gives them an immediate sense of scale and professionalism. On product pages, aerial photography can showcase your manufacturing processes, highlighting what sets you apart from your competition in a visually engaging way. Overall, aerial photography can make a big difference when you’re looking to improve user engagement, bounce rates, and conversion rates.

Demonstrating your expertise, methodology, and past success is one of the best ways to attract new clients. Displaying reviews and quotes can help with this, but featuring case studies on social media and your website is incredibly useful evidence of exactly how your business is capable of solving client problems. Drone footage enhances the effectiveness of showcasing large-scale projects that might not be photo-friendly. Of course, this can require pre-planning with the client to show the depth and breadth of your process. However, depending on the type of product or project, aerial images can still be helpful even after the fact.

4. Seize the competitive edge

A strong visual presentation isn’t just about stopping the scroll or grabbing attention. It’s also about credibility. Businesses that use drone photography send the message that they stay up to date with modern business practices, believe in innovation, and aren’t afraid of showing potential clients exactly what to expect from them. When attending trade shows, sending proposals, pitching potential clients, or pursuing new investors, high-quality aerial visuals can set you apart from your competitors who may be relying on outdated marketing tactics.

Since March 2000, persuading anyone (including yourself!) to go anywhere can be a herculean task. So, when your initial contact with a potential new client is virtual, aerial footage giving tours of your facilities or drone images of your products in use can make pitch decks more interesting and likely to hold attention. Being able to see the real-life behind-the-scenes of your operations can inspire deeper questions about what you do and give you an additional chance to impress your audience.

At trade shows, drone footage displayed on large screens at your booth can draw in a crowd and get people excited about what you’re doing. If you collect email information, sharing videos after the event can ensure you retain interest and keep potential clients moving through your customer journey.

A reminder about drone photography

Before you run out to purchase a drone and start your flying adventures, keep in mind that there are federal, state, and local regulations that govern unmanned air systems (UAS). Depending on your geographic location, you may need to apply for a permit or permission to operate a drone recreationally or professionally.

That’s where we’ve got you covered! K-Kom’s experienced and FAA-certified drone pilot can operate both indoors and outdoors. Need help incorporating aerial photography into your digital marketing strategy or capturing images and footage? Talk with one of our marketing experts today!